On the morning of Tuesday, February 28, in southern Santa Fe, rural producers from different parts of the country will meet in assembly to demand urgent changes in policies aimed at the agricultural sector which is now suffering the consequences of the worst drought in more than sixty years. The central act of the meeting will take place at 10:00 at the intersection of the Rosario-Buenos Aires highway and Route 90, near the town of Villa Constitución, as a protest against the national government’s lack of response to the bad weather which has caused serious and irreversible damage to crops, pastures and herds.
the producers ask imminent measures for drought-affected people and frost, but, in addition, they will reiterate substantial claims such as the modification of export duties on agricultural products, the elimination of the exchange gap, a reform taxation and the implementation of a multi-risk insurance.
The appeal was launched by the Argentine Agricultural Federation (FAA) but later joined by other entities such as the Argentine Rural Confederations (CRA), Coninagro, the Argentine Rural Society (SRA) and self-convened groups such as the Argentine Association of Agricultural Producers (AAPA), Grupo Independencia and Campo+Ciudad .
“We are far from seeing a proposal to support the sector in its state of emergency and so on give us the tools to strengthen ourselves as an engine of development. Because of this, and because we’re tired of hearing announcements that don’t get carried out, promises that don’t get delivered, patches that don’t fix the problem, we’ve decided to mobilize,” the FAA said.
“As an entity we have participated in each of the spaces of dialogue and work; we have brought all the needs to the table of officials, legislators and decision-makers, as well as the proposals and alternatives to solve them. In all cases we listen to empty announcements, without concrete solutions .Today we have the disappearance of 5,000 producers a year, while whoever governs decides only to raise funds for the IMF or for the elections, negotiates with a few concentrated groups and continues to buy time”. .
Among other things, they will ask for the suspension of the embargoes, the exemption from the payment of personal income tax and related advances, the suspension of the blocking of accounts and pressure from the banks, the modification of the emergency law, the creation of a multi-risk insurance fund , a comprehensive and progressive tax reform. Likewise, ask for the historic compensation for regional economies and an organic zootechnical plan, the elimination of the exchange rate differential, a plan to eliminate withholding taxes and that the aid committed in the form of non-repayable contributions for producers be specified .
“The relationship with the government is one of dialogueor, but we clearly don’t have the answers that the manufacturing sector needs. It is a sterile dialogue because it does not lead to any specification of tools, even in the short term,” said FAA president Carlos Achetoni.
For his part, Nicolás Pino, head of the SRA, expressed: “The situation is becoming increasingly critical and the national, provincial and municipal governments must provide answers to each request and some solutions to resolve this crisis. We need not only measures to the situation but also fundamental changes such as the elimination of withholding taxes and exchange differences”.
The AAPA has urged the entire industry to go along with the call. “We embrace and defend the following demands: unified exchange rate, elimination of export duties, updating of income tax bases, abolition of personal wealth tax, new labor law and reduction of public spending, among other points to be discussed”, indicated the producers of the institution.
According to Achetoni, after the protest “there could be stronger mobilisations, reaching Congress, the Government House”even if he has ruled out the strike option for the time being.
After three years of drought and in the worst campaign in decades, producers warn that “responses are slow and insufficient” and are calling for “extraordinary and urgent responses”.
A few days ago, the Minister of Economy, Sergio Massain announcing the measures against avian flu, he said: “I want to leave a message to the producers and to our very important production chain. We are facing one of the worst droughts in 100 years, with low soil moisture already accumulated over the past three years. We also have to face a particularity, such as the 7 de oro, a product of drought and which affects many animals, we have to face a drop in weight in animals for slaughter, we have to face the possibility of protecting ourselves from the case of mad cows that have begun to appear in Brazil , as well as dealing with bird flu. We are facing extraordinary conditions at a particular time when the world needs Argentinian protein and we have huge growth potential by supplying the domestic market.”
without But, specifically, the announced answers and solutions for the manufacturers do not arrive, and the discontent overflowed from the camel’s back. The situation is critical, they can’t wait any longer, which is why peasant protests are back on the streets.
Source: Clarin
